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Every way to get from Boston to Martha's Vineyard in 2026. SSA ferry, Island Queen, Hy-Line, Cape Air flights, bus, and train with verified fares.
There is no direct ferry from Boston to Martha's Vineyard. Every route requires a connection. But once you understand your options, the 75-mile journey to Martha's Vineyard becomes straightforward. Five ways to get there: drive to a ferry, bus to a ferry, train to a ferry, fly direct, or combine them. Here's every option with 2026 pricing.
Walk-on ferry tickets
Buy your Steamship Authority ticket before you reach the dock
Passengers need no reservation: buy in the SSA app or online and show the code at the gate. An adult round trip was $22 when we checked in September 2026. Bringing a car? That takes a separate vehicle reservation.
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The Steamship Authority ticket office in Vineyard Haven. You do not need it as a walk-on: buy online or in the SSA app, add the ticket to Apple Wallet, and it is scanned at the gate before boarding. The window is for cash, questions and vehicle paperwork.
The only car ferry. Year-round, 365 days. 45 min to Vineyard Haven. 20+ daily departures in summer (also to Oak Bluffs through October 22; four Oak Bluffs round trips a day after September 10).
Walk-on: $11 one-way (no reservation needed). Car: $127 Mon–Thu / $168 Fri–Sun (peak, reservation required; opened Feb 3, 2026, sells out fast). No parking at the terminal. Use SSA lots in Falmouth at $25/day with free shuttle. Arrive 1 hour early in summer.
The Island Queen runs passengers from Falmouth to Oak Bluffs in season: cheap, quick, and it lands you right in town.
35 minutes, $20 one-way / $30 round-trip. 75 Falmouth Heights Rd. The 2026 season opened May 22. Passengers only. Online reservations (new for 2026), and every passenger needs a ticket, including kids 4 and under (theirs is free, but book it). Youth 5–12 pay $14 one-way / $18 round-trip, active military $15 / $20, bikes $4 / $8, and kayaks or paddleboards up to 12 feet $6 / $12. Parking $20/day cash only. Best value for day trips.
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1 hour, $41 one-way / $78 round-trip (incl. fuel surcharge). 220 Ocean St, Hyannis. High-speed catamaran May–Oct. Reservations strongly recommended; can sell out even mid-September. Parking $30/day peak on-site (less off-site and off-season).
The Seastreak from New Bedford skips the Cape bridges entirely. The smart route on a summer Friday when the roads are a parking lot.
50 min, $49 one-way / $84 round-trip. Same-day RT $55. April 16–Oct 12. New Bedford is 55 miles from Boston via Route 24 and avoids Bourne/Sagamore bridges entirely. MBTA commuter rail now runs Boston → New Bedford (~1h40m). Valet parking $30/day.
Logan Terminal C → MVY in 40 minutes. 13+ daily flights in summer, $159–250+ one-way. Our MVY airport guide covers every airline, parking and the free bus from the terminal. 9-passenger Cessna and Tecnam aircraft. No bikes/surfboards. Fog at MVY is the main driver of delays.
Logan → MVY, late June–October. Up to 6 daily flights peak summer. Has dropped as low as ~$84 one-way in September; fares are dynamic. Airbus A220-300 jets.
Bedford/Hanscom → MVY, ~30 min. Semi-private Pilatus PC-12, from $295 one-way. June 18–October 12, 2026 (season extended).
Peter Pan Bus: South Station AND Logan Airport → directly to SSA Woods Hole pier. $24–40 one-way depending on date and how far ahead you book, ~1.5–2 hours. Also serves Hyannis. Year-round. Plymouth and Brockton: Similar service, ~$30 to Woods Hole. No combo bus+ferry tickets exist, so buy separately.
South Station → Hyannis, $22 one-way / $40 RT. Fri–Sun, Memorial Day–Labor Day, ~2.5 hours. Kids under 11 free. Bikes free. Café car with beer/wine. Free SSA shuttle from Bourne station (Sat/Sun). Super Summer Sunday: $20 same-day round trip, July through September.
Boston → Woods Hole: 75–80 miles, 75–90 min without traffic, 3–4+ hours on summer Fridays.
Traffic tips: Bourne/Sagamore bridges are chokepoints. Worst: Friday noon–8 PM. Leave before noon or after 9 PM. Check MassDOT alerts for bridge lane restrictions before you drive; spring repair work on the Bourne Bridge wrapped up in May 2026.
Best advice: leave car on mainland. Park at SSA Falmouth lots ($25/day), walk on ferry. VTA buses are fare-free on-island through June 30, 2027, bike rentals at every terminal.
Peter Pan from South Station → SSA Woods Hole → walk on ferry. 3.5–4 hours total. Year-round.
No car? The bus from Boston connects to the ferry: ride to Woods Hole, then simply walk aboard.
Logan Terminal C → MVY. On-island in under 2 hours door-to-door. Best for summer Fridays when Cape traffic adds hours.
MBTA commuter rail to New Bedford + Seastreak ferry. ~$60–70 one-way. Zero Cape Cod bridge traffic.
Fastest: Cape Air from same terminal (40 min). Budget: Peter Pan bus departs directly from Logan to Woods Hole (no South Station transfer needed). Silver Line SL1 (free) to South Station for more options. Uber to Woods Hole: ~$130–135 (surge can hit $200+).
Hy-Line’s high-speed boat runs Hyannis to Oak Bluffs, the pick if you are coming down the Cape’s other arm.
The Island Queen from Falmouth passing the Oak Bluffs fishing pier, a small boat alongside.
Bikes: SSA $5.25, Island Queen $4 (cheapest), Hy-Line $8.50. Cape Air: no bikes. Pets: Free on all ferries (leashed). Accessibility: SSA has elevators, accessible restrooms, shuttle lifts. All VTA buses have ramp boarding.
SSA walk-on $11 | Island Queen $20 | Hy-Line $41 | Seastreak $49 | Cape Air $159+ | JetBlue $84+ | Peter Pan bus $24–40 | CapeFLYER train $22
For all ferry details: Complete Ferry Guide. For day trips: Day Trip from Boston and NYC. For on-island transport: Car-Free Guide and VTA Schedule. Traveling after Labor Day? The seasonal boats quit in stages: Seastreak NYC at Labor Day weekend, the Falmouth–Edgartown Pied Piper by mid-September (confirm the last day with the operator), Island Queen and Seastreak New Bedford on October 12. Details in what changes after Labor Day.
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Island tip of the day Ferry No. 5 of 86 New tip at midnight, island time
All three Woods Hole lots (Palmer Avenue, Thomas B. Landers, Cataumet) run $25/day in season with free shuttles to the terminal. Palmer is closest and fills first; when it does, follow the signs to Landers.
Flying to Martha's Vineyard in 2026: which airlines serve MVY and from where (Cape Air year-round; JetBlue, Delta and American in season; Tradewind from private terminals), what parking costs, and how to get from the terminal to any town by free bus, taxi or rental car.
Thinking about a September or October visit? Good call. A friendly heads-up on what shifts after Labor Day 2026: the ferry switch to Vineyard Haven, each boat's last day, what stays open through Columbus Day, and how far room rates fall.
You can bring a rental truck to the Vineyard, but only on the Steamship Authority boat, and the booking works differently than it does for a car. What the trucks really measure, what the ferry charges in 2026, and how to reserve space.
Every ferry to Martha's Vineyard for 2026: all routes, fares, parking, SSA vehicle booking, and which ferry works best for you.
Day trip to Martha's Vineyard from Boston ($100) or NYC ($300+). Every ferry, bus, train, and flight option with 2026 fares, parking, and an itinerary.
Seastreak ferry from New Bedford (50 min, $49) and NYC ($250 weekend) to Martha's Vineyard. 2026 fares, schedule, parking, and SSA comparison.
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